Not-so-fun-really-creepy Fact {2}

Wheel bugs are PINK for a couple of hours after they molt.

Not-so-fun-really-creepy Fact {1}

Preying mantises' eyes turn black at night.

day/night

Photo-a-day Challenge: Day 4 - Sparkle

This beetle was very sparkly!

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Click here to link up your photo-a-day challenge posts. 

Photo Friday: Stink Bug

This stink bug was found in our dining room. Before removing him, I had to take a few pictures of him. Isn't the detail fascinating?

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Photo Friday: Creepy!

While feeding the cats last night, I saw a large insect run from the side of the porch to the middle of the porch and sit there staring at me. I was a little too far away to tell what it was so I got my camera out with the zoom lens on and take a picture. Upon seeing the picture, I discovered it was a large praying mantis. Seeing it run towards me at an alarming speed and intent look has confirmed my dislike for these insects. I feel like it would like to eat me if I was a little smaller or if was a little bigger!

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Photo Friday: Mystery Insect

This creepy crawly was in our kitchen the other day. I tried looking it up but couldn't figure out what it was. Any ideas?

Note added: After more research and suggestions from friends, I think I've figured out that this is a robber fly. 

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Photo Friday: Cicada

This cicada must have just molted because the shell was only a few inches away. I snapped a few shots before it flew away. 

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Photo Friday: Cicada Shell

It looks like this cicada shell has been on our front porch for a while since it's covered in spider webs. I think these things are kind of neat, don't you?

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Inchworm

As we were outside eating dinner last night, I happen to spot this inchworm inching his way across the patio. I was able to coax him onto my finger and take some pictures. 

I cropped this one so that you can get a good look at his tiny feet clinging to my fingernail.

I took all these pictures with my Nikon D3000. I didn't edit these photos much, just a little adjustment to the exposure and some cropping were done to the pictures. 

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I'm linking up to Donna's Personal Photo Challenge this month. The theme is COLORFUL. 

Photo Friday: Snail + Link-up

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Photo Friday: Ladybug

This ladybug was a bit dusty when I took this picture. I didn't notice the dust when took the picture but later when I cropped it on the computer lots of dust showed up. 

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{More} Creepy Crawlies

This time, it was the reptile variety. We've seen skinks on our porch before. Usually the juveniles which have blue tails. This baby was sunning itself on the porch when I went out to shake a dust cloth. 

I took these pictures through the glass using my zoom lens. When I opened the door, he quickly ran off the porch. 

The Creepy Crawlies

We have had some unusual nature siting around here lately. All of these have been creepy crawlies. First there was the unknown deceased caterpillar, then the white-lined sphinx caterpillar with parasites.

Last week, we saw several several wheel bugs. We see them every Fall. They like to hang out on our front porch a lot but I also found one on my car windshield when I got in one day.

This one was walking back and forth on the front porch bench. These guys are not to be trifled with since Wikipedia said that their bite is very painful and takes months to heal and might even leave a small scar. If you don't want to be grossed out I suggest skipping the Wikipedia article.

Then yesterday, we looked out our kitchen window to see a large spider on her web. I went outside with the camera and snapped several photos. It took me a while to figure out what kind of spider it was but came to the conclusion that it is a barn spider.

While I was out there, she was eating her prey. You can see the prey a little in the first picture but it's more clear in the second picture.

“Grass is hard and lumpy and damp, and full of dreadful black insects.” 

 ― Oscar Wilde

Photo Friday: White-lined Sphinx Caterpillar

This big caterpillar was found in our yard earlier this week. You see those white dots on one end? Those are tiny wasp larvae parasites. Gross, huh?

Come back next week to link up your photos.


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Photo Friday: The...Thing

Last week I was outside taking a picture of a dessert that I had made. I was just finishing up when I happened to look over and see this ugly dead caterpillar. I have no idea what exactly he is. I tried looking him up in the insect guide but I couldn't find anything that looked right. Any ideas?

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Photo Friday: Tersa Sphinx Moth

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Photo Friday: Dragonfly

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Photo Friday: Crab {Link-up}

Isn't it fun when you're walking along on the beach and you look down to find a small crab on the sand?


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The link-up will be open for two weeks...

Ladybug Bokeh

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Linking up to Hazel's photo challenge with the theme of Bokeh.